1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to hand weaving devices and, more specifically, to a universal hand loom kit.
2. Description of Prior Art
Tapestry weaving is an ancient craft. While weaving looms of different complexities have been devised the very simplest are the hand-weaving looms in the form of a piece cardboard and string that children use when first exposed to weaving.
Most hand-held weaving looms utilize pins or pegs all of which are the same height because most woven textiles are essentially flat or two dimensional.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,885 a method of making a textile product is disclosed on a rectangular loom. The strands of yarn are applied to form a grid like backing web to form intersections of the strands and overlying yarns are secured together by being tied. An implement in the form of a stiff member is then passed between the backing web and the adjacent runs of yarn and then yarns that are transverse to the member are cut midway between the intersections. Cut yarns then form a rosette. The reference discloses pegs all of which have the same height or length to create rosettes, fringes or tassels. However, the method disclosed utilizes a generally rectangular frame having an open area within the boundaries of the frame so that pegs may only be secured to or rails forming the loom itself. The loom, therefore, is limited as to the forms of woven items that can be made on it. Other similar special purpose looms are disclosed in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,361,055 issued Dec. 7, 1920
U.S. Pat. No. 1,446,316 issued Feb. 20, 1923
U.S. Pat. No. 1,794,312 issued Feb. 24, 1931
U.S. Pat. No. 2,011,916 issued Aug. 20, 1935
U.S. Pat. No. 2,186,692 issued Jan. 9, 1940
U.S. Pat. No. 2,229,188 issued Jan. 21, 1941
U.S. Pat. No. 2,481,955 issued Sep. 13, 1949
U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,854 issued Feb. 12, 1957
U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,336 issued Sep. 28, 1965
U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,172 issued Sep. 6, 1977
U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,885 issued Apr. 4, 1978
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,366 a hand-weaving device is disclosed that utilizes a peg board with an array of holes for weaving pins. The use of a peg board with an array of holes allows the pegs to be arranged anywhere on the peg board to provide more flexibility in the configuration or shape of a woven product. The weaving device is intended to simplify weaving and make it more efficient. However, the patent only teaches weaving of more conventional, two dimensional items. Although the patent teaches several variously shaped and dimensioned pegs or pins they are simply disclosed as alternative peg designs. Some of the pegs have a rod portion projecting above the peg board when mounted of 7 mm plus a gripping or holding portion of approximately 2.5-3.5 mm. Another peg is disclosed that has a rod portion above the peg board of 10 mm and a 5 mm enlarged gripping portion. Each of the pegs has a fringe of approximately 4.5-5 mm to provide pins with a total exposure above the peg board when mounted between 14.5 mm and 19.5 mm. These are too short for most embellishments such as pompoms, fringes and tassels.
To address the short comings of conventional hand looms and facilitate the creation of a specialty works, such as pompoms, specialty devices have been devised that do not use hand looms. For example, a pompom maker is marketed by Clover Needle Craft, Inc., of California under Model Nos. 3124 and 3126 (www.clover-usa.com) that does not use a peg board, pegs or other conventional weaving components.
Similarly, a hand loom is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,054,429 in which the frame is formed by four rods secured to define a rectangular frame, the yarn being wrapped around the rods instead of pegs or pins that project from a rectangular frame. In some instances, looms of this type are adjustable to adjust the size or shape of the rectangular opening. U.S. Pat. No. 2,118,142 discloses a hand weaving frame that can be enlarged or reduced in size to form a square frame. An adjustable loom for hand weaving is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,372 in which orthogonal rails or frame members are adjustable to increase or decrease the size of the product to be woven. Another portable hand loom is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,190,813 that also includes angular cross members for enabling the shape of the frame to be modified to make oval or round rugs. In all of these patents, however, pins or pegs of the same size are arranged on the frame members leaving an open space within the boundaries of the frame segments or rails. All of these portable looms, therefore, are designed to provide limited functions and capability for only making conventional tapestry-type woven items.
A weaving device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,265 that, as with the previously mentioned looms, is formed by a generally rectangular frame. As an aid to the winding or weaving operation the patent suggest that every other pin in one row is visibly distinguished from intervening pins so that the end pins of each row have the same distinguishing feature as the adjacent end pin of an adjacent row. For this purpose, the patent suggests that every other pin be made shorter than the intervening pins. However, these differently sized pins are mounted on the lateral legs or rails of the frame and are not used to create or form different woven items but, simply, as an aid to the winding operation.